2019 RIBA HAMPSHIRE LECTURE

17th of May 2019

ACME has been invited by the RIBA Hampshire to speak as part of the 2019 Lecture series on Wednesday the 22nd of May. Friedrich Ludewig will present some of ACME’s new projects in Folkestone Harbour & Southampton as well as the recently completed Bumpers Hall in Kent.
We would love to see you at 6 pm at the Winchester Discovery Centre in Winchester.
Registration at the link below.Eventbrite

SAB BANK TOPPING OUT

28th of March 2019

The concrete frame of the SAB Neubau Leipzig has been completed. Construction started in 2017 and after extensive basement retaining works, the 5 Storey structure is now 21m high. Along the perimeter, slender, 21m tall, spun-concrete columns were craned into position before the slab was cast. The concept of the perimeter columns is that they will evolve into a forest of columns to define a forum facing the historic city centre. Completion of the project is expected in 2020.

IQL PAVILION BREAKING GROUND

25th of March 2019

The IQL Pavilion in Stratford has started on site. The groundbreaking on the 19th of March marks the official start of construction for the 1,000 sqm pavilion in the International Quarter London (IQL) in Stratford. The building will house a visitor centre with a café, restaurants over two floors and a public rooftop terrace with amazing views over the footbridge towards the London Aquatics Centre, Queen Elizabeth Park and the London Stadium.

FOLKESTONE VIADUCT LIFT PROGRESS

22nd of March 2019

The final element of the Folkestone Harbour viaduct is nearing completion. In 2017 the viaduct across the harbour opened to the public, creating a new public promenade to the renovated Harbour station platforms and the Harbour Arm. The new lift and staircase will provide access to the viaduct from Harbour Square. Matching the neighbouring harbour sheds, the lift is clad in dark waney-edge timber larch boarding.

ACME AT AJ SUMMIT

18th of March 2019

The AJ Summit on the 4th of April will explore the relationship between architects and clients. Friedrich Ludewig from ACME and Robin Dobson from Hammerson will speak in the afternoon about their collaboration in Leicester, Leeds and Southampton, and explore how architects and clients can jointly manage design and procurement, opportunities, and risks.

ALDGATE QUARTER COMMENDED AT AR FUTURE PROJECTS

15th of March 2019

Aldgate Quarter in the City of London has been commended in the Mixed-use category at the AR Future project awards 2019 at Mipim Cannes.
The project for 4C Hotels and The Guinness Partnership regenerates the site currently occupied by the 194 unit Mansell Street Estate and two abandoned office buildings.
As part of the comprehensive regeneration of the entire site, one existing concrete frame is converted into a new 360 room Canopy by Hilton Hotel, complemented by 212 new affordable and 320 private residential units, and a 30.000 sqm office building on Aldgate High Street.
The first two buildings are under construction at present, with an expected completion of last phase by 2025.

ENLARGED EC3 MINORIES OFFICE BUILDING

12th of March 2019

Following the successful planning consent in 2014 for an office building in the City of London, we have worked with the client and London Underground to improve the project, developing a larger building sitting above the Metropolitan Line tunnels, and to rebuild the local pub as part of the scheme.
The Still and Star is an historic pub on site, which has lost all internal features over the years, and ultimately closed some time ago. We have worked with a number of stakeholders to rebuild it in a slightly better location on the site, with a frontage onto Aldgate High Street, and with proper service access.
The Still and Star started as a gin distillery in the 1730s, and we are committed to create a new micro-gin-distillery, with herb farming in the building, to resurrect the original vocation.The new pub will be formed from green pigmented concrete, preserving an imprint of the existing pub.
The office building is a state of the art 38.000sqm steel structure, with a ground level foyer and arcade made in iron oxide concrete to span over the underground tunnels below. The structure is our third Minories Building for 4C Hotels, sitting alongside the 342 rooms Canopy by Hilton hotel and a residential tower, which are both under construction and due to complete in 2020.

WORLD FIRST METALLIC TERRACOTTA INSTALLED

5th of March 2019

For the last 5 years, ACME has worked on a metallic glazed terracotta that can be used in external facades. Glazed terracotta has been produced for millennia, but metallic glaze usually oxidises in external environments, quickly turning black.
Following extensive development and testing work with Teamwork Italy with NBK, the tiles are finally ready for installation in Leeds. The design of the John Lewis store in Leeds was inspired by the textile history of Leeds. The concrete diagrid frames the glazed windows and the terracotta panels are used where no windows could be located.
Each of the four hexagonal Terracotta panels is installed in 6 rotated positions, thereby creating the illusion of an infinitely changing field without clear repetition. Installation should complete in March 2019.

ACME AT SURFACE DESIGN SHOW

4th of February 2019

Catherine Hennessy from ACME and Alex Patrick-Smith from Ketley Brick will speak jointly at the Surface Design Show in London. Their talk Victoria Gate: Contemporary Brick Facades, will explore how the collaboration between architect and supplier has shaped a complex three-dimensional pleated elevation, creating a multitude of shadows, patterns and warm shades across the building.
Please join us on the 7th of February at 3.45 pm at the Business Design Centre.

SAB LEIPZIG - BANK HQ

28th of January 2019

100 columns defining the edge of the SAB project in Leipzig. Each column is a continuous, 21m long spun concrete object, 0.4 to 0.7m in diameter.
The concrete frame of the building has finally reached the roof level, so the first full height columns have started to arrive on site, ready for installation by mobile crane. Once all perimeter columns are lifted into position, the final concrete roof slab can be cast, at the end of January 2019.
There will be 280 spun concrete columns across the SAB Forum columns upon completion.